Wetting agents for the use in mercerizing lyes



Patented May 25, 1937 NHTED ETA? enemas WETTHNG AGENTS FOR USE EN mnocmme EYES No Drawing. Application October 16, 1935,

Serial No. 45,315. In Germany July 25, 1930 Claims. (cl. c-zc) The present invention relates to a process for improving the wetting capacity of strong alkaline liquids as generally used for mercerizing cotton.

Itis well known that soaps cannot be employed in mercerizing lyes, since they are insoluble in strong alkaline lyes. The greater part oi sulfonic acids or sulfuric acid esters of hydrocarbons or fatty oils, likewise, is insoluble or not 0 sumciently soluble in the said liquors. There are known, it is true, some highly sulfonated products which are soluble in strong alkali, solutions, but by the addition of such products the wetting capacity of the liquid is increased only slightly or not at all.

Now I have found that salts of carboxylic acids of the general formula in which a: means a radical of the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl and wherein the complex alkylNCHz'CO0H does not contain more than 10 carbon atoms, are excellent wetting agents in mercerizing lyes, in spite of the fact that in aqueous solution they show no wetting capacity.

' When reacting chloroacetic acid ester with butylamine, 'methylbutylamine or similar products and saponifying the esters thus produced, compounds are obtained which have an excellent wetting capacity in mercerizing lyes.

These new assistants preferably are used in combination with phenols, highly sullonated oils or solvents such as, for instance, glycolether.

The example following hereafter demonstrates the action of my new assistants, the parts being by weight:-

Ecample..-A mixture is prepared containing '1 parts of sodium diisobutylamino acetate, 20 parts of crude cresol and 73 parts of xylenol. when adding 5 to 10 grams of this mixture per liter of the mercerizlng lye, an extraordinarily rapid wetting oi the cotton fabrics is eflected.

In an analogous manner the monobutylamino acetic acid or the homologous compounds of this acid may he used in form of their alkali metal salts.

What I claim is: I

l. A process for improving the wetting capacity of memorizing lyes which comprises adding to the lye an alkali metal salt of an acid corresponding to the general formula alk l-i -OHWOOH in which a: means a radical of the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl and wherein the complex alkylNCm-CO0I-I does not contain more than 10 carbon atoms.

2. A process for improving the wetting capacity of mercerizing lyes which comprises adding to the lye an alkali metal salt of butylamlno acetic acid.

3. A process for improving the wetting ca.- pacity of mercerlzing lyes which comprises adding to the 'lye an alkali metal salt of butylamino acetic acid and phenols.

4. A process tor improving the wetting capacity of 'mercerizing lyes which comprises adding to the lye an alkali metal salt of diisobutylamino acetic acid and phenols.

5. A process for improving the wetting capacity of mercerizing lyes which comprises adding to the lyea mixture containing 7 per cent. of diisobutylamino acetic acid, 20 per cent. of crude cresols and 73 per cent. of xylenol.

KARL BRODERSE'N. 

